Image Comics Announces Third Expo for Jan. 2014

"Walking Dead" creator Robert Kirkman will be just one of many creators attending Image Comics' third annual convention in Northern California next January.

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Image Comics has announced the third Image Expo, to be held January 9, 2014 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, offering what the publisher describes as "unprecedented access to the creators behind [fans'] favorite comic books at exclusive autograph sessions and comic-focused programming."

The first Image Expo was held in February of 2012 as a way to celebrate the independent publisher's 20th anniversary, as well as to provide Northern California with a comic book convention in the wake of WonderCon's then-recent move to Anaheim. That was followed by this July's more focused event -- only one day in length, as opposed to the previous year's three, and focusing exclusively on announcements about future Image comics and creators.

The third Expo will follow the model of the second, with a keynote presentation from Image Comics publisher Eric Stephenson at 10 a.m. that will feature appearances from creators Robert Kirkman, Matt Fraction, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Rick Remender and others, including what Image describes as "some surprise guests."

Following the keynote, the afternoon will be filled with panels and signing sessions from the creators in attendance, with a party at a yet-to-be-announced venue closing out the event at 7 p.m. Details of how to buy tickets and more information can be found at the event's website.